Heart of Darkness
by yume girl 91
Summary: A lovely monster she is, Assistant Captain Kaien Shiba comes to realize. Dark RukiaxKaien AU


Heart of Darkness

She can still hear Assistant Captain Shiba's futile cries for her to come back.

There is no going back - he knows it. She does, her first night of rebirth. Or existence. Rukia thinks, the air was never this cool, it never felt so deliciously wonderful rippling across her bare flesh and bone. She's never felt freer from the constraints of Society, soaring over Hueco Mundo's desert.

_Am I a monster?_ she asks herself, then answers in the same silent breath with the scent of blood clinging to her claws, red splashed across neverending white.

There isn't much difference between the pale shadow of her former self and the new strengths of her Hierro-imbued flesh. A sword can barely pierce it, her step is swift, fleet-footed like she was as a child in the Rukon. Rukia looks at herself in the wavy glass mirror and smiles at the face she sees reflected.

She's almost the same.

- _almost_ -

That hesitation stresses the importance of how far that word falls from the fact. Rukia has a shallow, grudging fascination with the Cuatro Espada, vaguely she recalls his former shell of a Vasto Lordes and meeting him one moonlit night. It's the stuff of fairytales, but he's no prince and she's no princess.

"A lovely monster." Gin coos and leaves spidery traces of caresses across the flesh the uniform leaves bare. She hisses and slaps the offending hand away. _It's true_, she knows.

Ulquiorra's the same, a fleeting shadow lingering in the wake of her steps. He will never admit it, never bandy words. They cross glances, tangle, daring each other to do more. Rukia loves a challenge, odd that it should remain with her, one more facet of humanity. They're both monsters but neither will break their silent dance.

But, Kaien-dono is different.

The first time they meet again - is like the first time they met in the beginning.

Rukia can't wrap her thoughts around how little change in present in the haggard Assistant Captain. He breathes hard, sweats heavily and many of the Hollow foot soldiers lie in pieces around him - but from the soft spikes of his hair, to the vivid blue of his eyes, he's every precious inch the same. The darker side of her consciousness stirs.

They're in a courtyard of white with a raging sky of crimson burning above. The invasion's begun.

Rukia could care less.

"Kaien-_dono_...?"

He looks at her - truly does, seeing past the white black-edged garment to the shattered remnants of bone and her eyes. And his jaw falls open in complete, utter shock as if he cannot believe it.

"K-Kuchiki?"

Rukia's aware of blossoming warmth in her chest - a sensation she hasn't felt in - _untold years_. With only the sound of his voice, she's soaring without motion.

"Aren't you going to remind me to greet you 'respectful-like'?" the tease leaves her lips before she can stop it. It feels too much like old times. Like softly clipped grass, the shade of a large tree and a can of cold tea on a hot summer's day.

Maybe it's only like that for her.

The shock vanishes from his face, sadness floods it. Then steady resolve. Rukia hasn't drawn her weapon, released the beauty of her ice - and he levels his trident at her. Neiji-Bana is in fine form, cutting the air, threatening to pierce and impale Rukia's Hierro.

Unhappily, she evades, feints, blocks.

Kaien cuts at her without an emotion changing the stoniness of his _beloved_ face.

_Why? _ The heart whispers.

Rukia has none, but it still beats like an echo.

Cracking as her blood splashes the white floor.

"Why?" and though unaware of it, the word slips out.

_Why-why-why-Why_.

Kaien flinches from her voice as though it causes him physical pain. Elsewhere Kido cannons fire, rocking the ground, sending fresh waves of electrical finesse into the atmosphere. The whole world could be falling apart around them and she wouldn't have moved.

"Why!?"

"Stop it, Kuchiki! Just stop it! I'm going to end your misery!" he says valiantly, every inch full of belief and the desire to _save her_. How ridiculous. His solitary dance of blades continues - a veritable knight in shining armor slaying the dragon. Rukia's darkness hisses at the metaphor.

_I am the same_.

She doesn't understand why Kaien-dono can't see it. The Hollow intertwined with her power, whispers vitriolic truths. _'It is he who has changed_.' Rukia's eyes fill and she remembers Aizen's words. _**They must save the Shinigami from themselves**_.

He cuts her - but she doesn't feel the pain, not anymore.

Sode no Shirayuki screams it for her, swallowing every living thing within the radius of the Kuchiki mansion in a white world of hell. Rukia shuts her violet-yellow tainted eyes as Kaien-dono is swallowed up in the maelstrom of the storm, becoming even if only temporarily, one with her power. Rukia heaves a sigh, red spatters her white garments and wants nothing but to climb into a sea of pillows and sleep for a thousand years.

Ice crackles beneath a precise step. The Cuatro's blackened reiatsu infringes on the white splendor of the frosted grounds, he folds his wings, casting aside Ukitake Jushiro's head. "Waste," Ulquiorra pronounces thinly, flicking a glance of malice-laced disgust upon Kaien's frozen form. Though it was only brief, Rukia still felt the innate urge to shield her old teacher from the Hollow's gaze.

"You take of your own, Schiffer, and I'll deal with mine." A veiled threat lingered in her frosted tone.

"Why do you let him live?"

_I don't know_.

...

"I am the same." Rukia whispers, never touching the man. "Whether you believe my words or not."

Deep in the cell, the man flinches and his beliefs shrivel away.

The Noventa Espada turns on her heel and walks away.

At the door, he hoarsely calls, "K-Kuchiki...wait..I'm.."

"Don't say it," she says swiftly, "there's no need."

...

He's clothed, fed, wounds healed. The Octava snaps on a reiatsu-suppressing cuff. Soon enough he's escorted to her rooms across a high bridge.

Rukia waits like a white queen wrapped in unholy splendor.

The moment he touches her, the Hollow takes over.

...

The flimsy dress goes first , baring the slim line of her pale body. Kaien kneads her breasts roughly while she shreds the white clothing adorning him. Her hands wander then, caressing his hard muscles, letting his mouth claim hers. It's everything the naive girl, Kuchiki Rukia wanted.

Kaien bites her nipple, apologizing breathlessly a moment later. "..sorry."

"I won't break." she says simply, raking her sharp pointed nails down his sides. He intakes a sharp breath and bites her nipple again, sucking it into his mouth. She arches against him, relishing the feel of the sticky rod between them. Kaien chose to take the initiative and backwalked her, letting go of her breast to roughly stroke her hips, hoisting them up. The backs of her thighs met the pillow-down bed (a recommendation of the Primera for 'sleeping') she's glad of it now as they sink down.

Expectation draws her eyes up and holds his glazed blue.

"Kuchiki-?"

Her legs are spread around him, rosy pink contrast to the white of her inner thighs.

Rukia's surprised he even _asks_.

"Give it your all, you big lug." she demands, he chuckles (as she knew he would) and positions himself to her hole. Rukia watches every second of his face, a study in intense concentration as he slides into her. Too large - she moans at the fresh pain, craving more of the flesh. Kaien took her moan as encouragement and filled her to the hilt, pulling out fast to ram in -again - again.

He works her well.

So well, that the greed of the Darkness forgets Miyako once had him. Forgot everything but the sensation of rutting - it's dirty the way she yells for 'more' 'harder' 'now' there's blood and the wet slapping sound of their flesh. Kaien has her legs hooked over each shoulder and - then she's out of him -

They sit like they used to. His cock juts up between her thighs obscenely, she grabs it with her tiny hand and guides it to her waiting pussy.

...

The Noventa's on the floor.

His eye misses nothing. Not the length of penis shooting up her ass, sawing her raw. He had known before she reveled in pain.

Her expressions captivated him the most.

Rapturous pleasure - but an animal could give her that, he reasons contrarily.

The Shinigami finishes and pulls out of her, cock flaccid. He pulls her into a clumsy bear hug, scooping her nude body glistening with seed and juices. He deposits her on the bed and immediately kisses her full on the lips. Clumsy again. She returns it, raking her tiny hands through his dark mop of hair.

The one thing he cannot deny, is the last emotion on her face.

**Joy** - only Kaien Shiba could give her that.

-fin-

Disclaimer: don't own Bleach

AN: found this kicking around in docs folder. Am attempting to resurrect an interest in Bleach, so far the manga isn't helping. Also, this is meant to be connected to sixty four damn prompts: Rip. Thanks for reading.

No flames! Reviews always loved ;-)


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